GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas – A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison and 99 years on Monday for capital murder and aggravated robbery, according to the Galveston County’s District Attorney’s Office.
Jeremiah Glenn was found guilty of both capital murder and aggravated robbery, just two weeks after his 20th birthday, according to officials.
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Investigators said Glenn’s crime spree started on Oct. 2, 2019 when he stole a truck that was left running outside a store in Dickinson. That truck was found abandoned three days later with a .357 revolver missing from the center console. Glenn’s crimes allegedly continued on Oct. 6, 2019, when he went to the Food Rite Market in Texas City, where he used that revolver to steal a minivan from a 15-year-old who was loading groceries in the parking lot. Glenn then allegedly drove that minivan to a local apartment complex where he shot and killed a retired army veteran, Curtis Lee, before leaving the scene in Lee’s car. The next day, Glenn abandoned Lee’s car before leading police on a lengthy foot chase. During the chase, he threatened a Texas City woman with his revolver and pointed his revolver in the direction of police officers.
Usually, 16-year-old defendants are prosecuted as juveniles, but the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office argued to the court to certify Glenn as an adult because of the nature of his crimes, his criminal history before the offenses, and an attempt to escape while awaiting trial. The court certified Glenn to stand trial as an adult.
Assistant District Attorneys Virginia Frank and Clayten Hearrell prosecuted the case. After hearing the evidence, a Galveston County jury found Glenn guilty of capital murder and aggravated robbery on Monday.
During the punishment phase of the trial, Assistant District Attorney Virginia Frank presented additional evidence showing that when Glenn robbed and murdered Lee, he was already on felony probation with the juvenile justice system for stealing a car in 2017. Additional evidence showed that Glenn attempted to escape from the Galveston County Juvenile Justice Center while being held for trial.
Because Glenn was convicted of committing capital murder, Glenn was automatically sentenced to life in prison for that charge. The jury sentenced Glenn to 99 years in prison for aggravated robbery. The sentences will run concurrently and because he was a juvenile when the offenses were committed, Glenn will be eligible for parole in 40 years.
After the trial, Chief ADA Hearrell said, “Galveston County will be safer for at least the next 40 years.”